Presentation of the FAV 2016

Montpellier, France, 2016-07-18 -

The edition 2016 of the Festival of Architectures Vives received a very positive return share of the public, the frequentation of the festival is in broad increase with a number of visitors higher than 20,000 people. In Montpellier and La Grande Motte, for the first year, the festival took share at the time of the same weekend. This newdynamics made it possible more to visitors to go with the possible more to visitors to La Grande Motte.

The Festival des Architectures Vives aims at raising public awareness on the wide range of architecture. It seeks not only to highlight the work of a young generation of architects, landscape architects and urban planners but also to discover unexpected urban areas.

Through two urban tours, one in the historical heart of Montpellier’s town and a second in La Grande Motte, the public can discover works of contemporary architecture in unique sites, sometimes unknown from people. In Montpellier, courtyards of private hostels, usually closed to the public, open their doors during the festival. In La Grande Motte, the festival offers an urban course in the heart of Jean Balladur’s architecture, which caracterises this seaside town, recently approved “Heritage of the XXth Century”. In 2015, the Festival des Architectures Vives invested 20 sites in total with 19 installations + 1 pavilion.

Many works allow interaction with visitors. Leaving no physical trace, the festival seeks to make an impression, to initiate a global reflection on architecture and its development in existing urban context and finally, to create a dialogue between contemporary works and heritage. Mediators are present on each site. These mediators are students at the School of Architecture of Montpellier and they endeavour to strengthen appreciation of the works of the visitors. The event is free, this reflects the desire of opening architecture to the greatest number.

The FAV is organized by Elodie Nourrigat and Jacques Brion, architects in Montpellier.

Teams of FAV 2016 in Montpellier

Teams who create the ephemeral works are selected after a call for submissions launched in September. They come from France and from abroad countries. Regarding the Pavilions’ architects, they are exercising in the Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées region, where takes place the festival. Finally, every year, a university is invited; in 2016 the Scool of Architecture of Toulouse.

The team made up of Maxime Derrouch, Typhaine Le Goff and Emeline Marty, received the Public Prize for the installation "In n' Over".

The Prize of Jury was given to Mickael Martins Afonso ans Caroline Escaffre-Faure for the installation "La tête dans les nuages".

In June 2016 took place the third edition of the Festival des Architectures Vives on unique urban territories. At La Grande Motte from the 18h to the 26 of June 2016, on the theme of "Inovate" visitors have had the pleasure of being immersed in the heart of a sensitive experience, unexpectedly shifted, open, destabilizing, friendly ... and most importantly they had fun wandering through the city, with a dominant for "aquatic" places.

Teams of FAV 2016 in La Grande Motte

The team ColectivoConcentrico made up of Rocío García Samaniego,Teresa Elías Valer,Irene Fernández Garijo,María Pérez Pérez,Israel Martín Herrero,Belen Llanos Pérez,Beatriz Estefania Gutierrez received the PublicPrize for the “Reversible” installation.

The Price of the Jury was decreed with JN Architectes with “Land Motte”. And Special Mention with HOCH Studio for the installation “La Grande Frite”